RIE Plasmatherm1
Plasmatherm #1 RIE Procedure
edited from what the MRC has posted about the PECVD (http://www.mrc.utexas.edu/index.php/nnin/processequipment/94). NTS, 3/12/2013
[Note: The two main differences between the PECVD chamber and RIE chamber is that the RIE chamber does not have a heated stage, and the RIE chamber is surrounded by an inconvenient glove box. The glovebox will make it harder to handle tweezers and samples.]
Prep
1. Log on to the tool using the LabAccess terminal. Hopefully you remembered to reserve time to account for: pre-cleaning, priming, etching, and post-cleaning.
(2. Log into the system software, if not already logged in.)
3a. The chamber will be in ON or STANDBY or RUN mode, and which chamber is selected will be at the top of the monitor.
3b. If you want to change the chamber, change the system to ON mode and select the chamber to be used. “Utilities”=> “Select Active Chamber”=> chose either the left or right chamber”. There may be a delay while the tool closes valves and such.
3b1. In ON mode only the ON button will be highlighted. In STANDBY mode both the ON and STANDBY button will be highlighted. Similarly for RUN mode. To change from STANDBY/RUN to ON, click the ON button. To change from ON to STANDBY (or RUN) click on the STANDBY (or RUN) button.
3b2. The chambers are set up how they look, with RIE being the right chamber.
3c. Change the chamber to STANDBY mode if not already done.
4. Vent chamber: “Utilities”=> “Vent”. It takes about 4 minutes to vent.
[Note that Step 5.2 “Chemical Chamber” requires you to look at other steps. Process in numeric order.]
5. Clean the chamber before the first process is started. Wipe the walls and any quartz wafer holders with IPA. Wipe the stage with IPA.
> PECVD Cleaning procedure (from Ricardo on 11/28/2012 [M/D/Y]):
> 1. Physical chamber: Wipe side walls, shower head, chuck/stage, and seal.
> Use IPA or DI.
> Use wipe moistened with IPA or DI and quick, light wipes.
>I will put two wipes down in the glove box entry box, and prep a few wipes when the chamber vents. I will place the wipes on the laid down ones and then use them. When used, I’ll put them back in the entry box and then bundle them all up upon removal.
> 2. Chemical chamber: Run desired O2 clean for desired time.
> 3. chemical residual (optional): If you have a problem with residual chemical depositing on your sample (I would think O2 because that's what just ran but Ricardo just said that chemicals can get stuck in the shower head), wipe shower head with DI moistened wipe (quick, light motions again).
6a. Pump down the chamber to low vacuum
6b. Firmly hold the lid to the chamber down and evacuate the chamber by choosing: “Utilities”=> “Pump Chamber”=> “LoVac”. Once the chamber is under low vacuum you may stop holding the lid down. System status will now be ON & STANDBY (or ON & RUN).
6c1. To hold the lid down it is easiest to grab the back of the top of the chamber and pull it forward and down.
6c2. If needed, you can get leverage by bracing your arms against the glovebox arm holes (force on your arms), or leaning back (force on your back and shoulders).
6d. If needed, I will bring the console in close to the box and put my left hand in the left glove. I will hold the right glove up, over the top of the chamber. I will click pump down with my right hand and then quickly put it into the already elongated right glove and lean back to force the lid down.
6e. Hold the lid down (at minimum) til the chamber status reads 2000mT.
6e. Hold the lid down for 8 seconds.
7a. Run a cleaning recipe. See Steps 13-15.
7b. The cleaning recipe may vary by application. The clean room’s recommendation: 10 to 30 minute oxygen clean, Pressure = 200mTorr, O2=18sccm, power = 300W. They have cleans in the sysmon folder on the computer.
7c. The Bank group has a clean in our recipe folder. In general, use this.
8a. Run a pre-etch/prime of your recipe. Length varies by recipe and process.
8b. See Steps 13-15.
Load Sample and Setup Recipe
9. Vent chamber : “Utilities”=> “Vent”. While chamber is venting, setup the chamber with wipes for convenient use.
10a. Setting up wipes enables easier handling of samples.
10b. Place one wipe folded into 2/3 on top of the glovebox entry. You can now place other wipes or things here.
10c. Place one clean room wipe in the bottom of the glove box next to the front right corner of the glovebox (the southwest corner if looking from the glove box entry).
10d. Place two wipes laid down in the glovebox entry, covering the raised platform.
10e. Put one or two wipes into the chamber on top of the wipes laid down next to the chamber. Use the gloves to place these wipes to the left (front-ish) of the chamber.
10f. Place your sample holder into the glovebox entry, along with your tweezers.
10g. I recommend opening your sample holder upon putting it in, and placing your tweezers, tip pointing out of the box, on the glovebox entry wipes, overhanging the edge (for easier grabbing by the left glove).
10h. I advise against trying to pick up your sample holder with the left glove.
11. Place your sample/s in the chamber. Place it as close to center as possible.
12. Pump down the chamber to low vacuum.
13. To edit a recipe choose: “Process”=>”Edit”, now choose the recipe from the list. Edit the recipe and save it before exiting.
14a. To load a recipe choose: “Process”=>”Load”, now choose the recipe. The loaded recipe will show in the Process box at the lower right.
14b. Click READY on the lower bar to prepare the chamber to run the loaded recipe.
Run Recipe and End Use
15a. Run the loaded recipe by clicking the RUN button at the lower right.
15b. Most recipes have an initial step that will check for correct chamber statistics before running the recipe, so you can start recipes before the chamber is ‘at specs’ and it should wait to start until the pressure is correct. However, always check the recipe (see Step 13) to be sure.
15c. Some recipes will vent the chamber automatically. Be aware of what the recipe will do. If you have to run a 2 hour clean at 9pm (after your etch), it may behoove you to make sure the clean leaves the chamber under low vacuum as the last step (see Step 15d). Ricardo said in that case, it is OK to run the clean and then leave for the night. The chamber will be in ON & RUN.
15d. As with any clean room tool, be aware that you are logged in to the tool for a limited amount of time. If you are running a long process, you may have to login to lab access and reset (lengthen) the time you are logged into the machine for.
15e. To my knowledge, only the RF power requires you to be logged into the tool. Ramping temperature and operating the low vac pump does not require LabAccess. However, if you’re not logged into LabAccess another user might think you forfeited your time slot.
16. Once your recipe is finished, vent the chamber, remove your sample/s, and place in another sample/s (if using the same recipe) til you have processed all samples.
17. Pump down the chamber to low vacuum.
18. Run a chamber clean that is appropriate for whichever process you just ran. Use Step 7 as a guideline. See Step 14c.
19a. Close Gate Valve. Always close the gate between the chamber and the pumps before logging off or when leaving the system idle for over 10 minutes. (When the gate is left open pump oil back streams into the chamber [Ricardo said this isn’t an issue].)
19b. Choose: “Utilities”=>”Close Gates”. Or turn the tool to just ON mode.
19c. The exception is when you run a long clean and leave for the night.
(20. Log off of the system software, I don’t think this is done.)
21a. Log off of the tool using the LabAccess terminal. Stay logged in if a long clean is running.
21b. If you have a long clean and someone is scheduled to start after the clean finishes, try to sync up your LabAccess so your time will expire when the clean finishes.